All Chapters of The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Things are quiet for a while, and I stay tucked away in the shadows at the far side of the pool, sipping at my drink and watching the party unfold around me. I'm glad to be alone, but now that Jack isn't here to distract me, it's hard to keep my memories at bay.Dante and I spent quite a bit of time by this pool. We often studied out here - there was something about the sun on my skin and the ocean breeze in my hair that made me feel both calm and energized at once. And Dante always claimed that he did his best work outside. He used to sit in that lounge chair beneath the cabana and scribble away at his latest script. He always preferred to write his first drafts by hand - he said that the words flowed better through a pen than through a keyboard.I think that might have been when I realized I was in love with him - the first time I saw him bent over his notebook, his eyes bright as they followed his pen across the paper. It was like I was watching him pour his soul onto the page.I

"What are you doing?" I ask Dante as he sits down beside me."I'm not ready to go back to the party either," he says."It's your party," I remind him again."And most of the people in there are used to my parties by now. They know not to expect to see much of me."I stare out at the dark surface of the sea as I consider this, tightening my arms around myself. And then I feel a weight coming down on my shoulders - his suit jacket."Don't argue," he says when I start to do just that. "You need it more than I do."He's right, and I'm too cold and wet and miserable to argue. I pull the jacket closer, covering myself. I dig my toes into the sand and wait for him to speak. He's the one who insisted on staying with me - let him come up with something to say. I'm too busy trying to figure out how to extricate myself from this interaction gracefully."It's been a long time since we sat out here together," he muses finally.The comment is casual enough on the surface, but I know better.

"Put me back down!" I say to Dante, my voice cracking. I wriggle, trying to free myself, even though I know my ankle can't support my weight right now."I'm not going to leave you to hobble over there by yourself," he replies. His arms tighten and his fingers press into my skin as he marches across the sand toward the stairs.We reach the base of the steps just as Jack does."God, Ash. I've been looking everywhere for - " His words cut off when Dante steps into the glow of light cast by the strands of twinkling bulbs in the palms above. His eyes widen as his gaze flies from me to Dante and then back to me.I expect Dante to put me down, but instead, he just continues past Jack and starts up the stairs. Jack's wide-eyed look of surprise turns into one of full-on shock."Dante, what are you doing?" I wiggle again in his arms, then look around him and back down to where Jack is standing with his mouth open. "I hurt my ankle," I call to my friend.Jack must see the desperation in my

I've heard Dante's mesmerizing voice say my name a hundred times before, but it's the last voice I want to hear right now. If I weren't stunned out of my mind with pain, I'd hang up, but Dante rushes on while I'm still trying to figure out how to handle this."Where are you?" he says. "At your place? Have you moved since the last time I was there?"At least my shock has managed to completely shut down my sobs. But the panic is already setting in. He intends to come here."I'm fine," I force out through pain-clenched teeth. "I thought you were Jack. I'll be fine. I'm fine.""Like hell you are. You can hardly even speak.""I don't need you to come here. I'll call Jack. Jack will come." Fuck - but Jack is at work for another eight hours. I rush on, "Or Mama Pat. She'll help me." I grimace as another wave of pain sweeps through me. "I-I'll be fine. Really. Fine.""Where are you, Ashlyn?""I'm fine," I repeat, but my resolve wavers as the pain once again threatens to pull me under. A

When Dante returns, my heart leaps into my throat. For the first time since he showed up this morning - hell, since he walked back into my life - I allow myself to really look at him, to face the demon who broke my heart.His dark hair is slightly ruffled, and I wonder if it fell that way on its own or if he's been running his hand through it. He used to do that - run his hand through his hair - while he was working, thinking his way through a problem in his script.And I used to run my fingers through his hair when we were making love.My belly warms as I let my eyes drop to his face, to that strong mouth with those eager, demanding lips, and then up to those rich, mesmerizing eyes. He's looking back at me, watching me take him in, and in those eyes I see things I don't want to see. That I'm not ready to see.Why is he doing this to me?I turn and grab a book from my nightstand, but that doesn't stop Dante from returning slowly and deliberately to the side of my bed."The food h